National Geographic, GE and the Center for Science Launch Plan It Green: The Big Switch

<p class='bwalignc'> <i>New Online City Building Game to Engage Nation's Youth on Energy Solutions</i> </p>

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Geographic, GE and the Center for Science Launch Plan It Green: The Big Switch08:00 EDT Monday, March 18, 2013
WASHINGTON (Business Wire) -- National Geographic, GE (NYSE: GE) and the Center for Science, a
national network of leading science centers, today released Plan It
Green: The Big Switch (planitgreenlive.com),
a new, free-to-play online city building game that enables players to
design their own virtual city and build it into the greenest, most
energy-efficient metropolis in the world. The game is part of
Connect! Transform the Future, a new national initiative designed to
engage, enlighten and educate the nation's youth in a conversation about
the future of energy.
National Geographic, GE and the Center for Science today released Plan It Green: The Big Switch, a new, free-to-play online city building game that enables players to design their own virtual city and build it into the greenest, most energy-efficient metropolis in the world. (Photo: Business Wire)
Click here to view a trailer of the game: https://natgeogames.sharefile.com/?cmd=d&id=9dd2cc34a36a48dd.
Plan It Green, which was created by developer Wyse Games,
challenges players to test their design skills by building and
customizing their own city. Players rack up points for eco-friendliness,
energy production and overall citizen happiness while competing with
friends and other city “mayors” for the highest city rating.
“Students learn at home and through school how important recycling and
eco-friendly habits are to their environment, but Plan It Green
takes these lessons a step further,” said Chris Mate, vice president of
Games for National Geographic. “Through gameplay that is smart, fun and
intuitive, players discover what it takes to build and run a community.
By creating more energy-efficient neighborhoods, they reduce their
town's impact on its environment and create happier, stronger
communities. In doing so, they can associate the choices they make on Plan
It Green with choices they or their own communities make in their
everyday lives.”
Plan It Green will help to increase understanding and awareness
of energy issues and give players the power to make better, more
informed choices about the efficient use of energy. The game is part of
a growing trend that employs digital gaming to engage players around
important social issues.
“At GE, our engineers and technologists are working each day to improve
the efficiency and value of our nation's energy infrastructure,” said
Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE
Power & Water. “In Plan It Green, we wanted to create a
way for energy consumers, particularly young people, to better
understand our energy system and learn what they can do to help create
strong, thriving communities. Today's young people will be tomorrow's
engineers, utility executives and energy consumers. We have a
responsibility to help them create our best energy future.”
When players visit planitgreenlive.com,
they begin building their own city and earning credits to build houses,
businesses, energy stations and community resources like parks, bike
paths, organic farms and wildlife preserves. Players advance through
game levels by creating a diverse power portfolio and improve their
town's energy efficiency by implementing smart energy technologies.
Achievements and continuous play help players earn credits to beautify
and improve the existing infrastructure of their town and expand their
city limits.
“The Center for Science brings together leading science centers from
across the country and partners like GE and National Geographic to work
collaboratively on programs that further the understanding of science
and technology,” said Carol Valenta, chief scientific officer at the
Saint Louis Center, a founding partner of the Center for Science. “Our
first project is a youth initiative called Connect! Transform the
Future, and what better way to launch it than with a game that does
a terrific job of popularizing serious environmental and
energy-efficiency issues and presenting them to kids in an easy, bright
and interesting way?”
Plan It Green is the first program of Connect! Transform the
Future and will be followed by a short Digital 3D film, teacher
workshops, interactive educational materials and exhibits and programs
at local science centers. The suite of educational outreach materials
also launches this month and is designed to engage teachers and inspire
students to learn more about the future of energy.
About the Center for Science
The Center for Science is a national, collaborative network focused on
integrating and leveraging all available resources to advance science
and technology understanding. The Center for Science was launched by six
visionary science centers, including the Saint
Louis Science Center (St. Louis, MO); the Center
of Science and Industry (COSI) (Columbus, OH); the Maryland
Science Center (Baltimore, MD); the Museum
of Science and Industry (Chicago, IL); the Pacific
Science Center (Seattle, WA); and the Reuben
H. Fleet Science Center (San Diego, CA).
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best
technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in
energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering,
moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For
more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
Follow GE Power & Water on Twitter @GE_PowerWater.
About National Geographic
The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit
scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase
and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people
to care about the planet. National Geographic reflects the world through
its magazines, television programs, films, music and radio, books, DVDs,
maps, school publishing programs, exhibitions, live events, travel
programs, interactive media and merchandise.National Geographic
magazine, the Society's official journal published in English and 37
local-language editions, is read by more than 60 million people each
month. The National Geographic Channel reaches 440 million households in
171 countries in 38 languages. National Geographic Digital Media
receives more than 25 million visitors a month. National Geographic has
funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and
exploration projects and supports an education program promoting
geography literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130318005191/en/
GEShaun Wiggins, 518-385-5992shaun.wiggins@ge.comorNational
GeographicLiz Nickless, 202-775-6163enickles@ngs.org

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